The Eternal Fall From Grace
by WrackspurtsNarglesandTrevor
Summary: A set of 5 AU Harry/Daphne stories written for The OTP AU! Challenge. Most Recent AU: Super Hero!AU
1. Street Performer AU

**Warning: Recursive Canon-thing. Don't worry about it. Or at least don't think about it.**

 **Written for The OTP AU! Competition 2**

 **Round One: Street Performer!AU**

 **Words: 736**

* * *

As I walk down the stairs into the subway, with my guitar strung to my back, I hear a sound that I should not. It's someone singing on my turf.

" _You're tall and fun and pretty_

 _You're really, really skinny, Ginny"_

Really. Some guy comes, onto my turf, and starts singing a joke song. Probably some twenty-something pretty boy douchebag who wants to "find himself" or some bullshit like that.

" _I'm the Mickey to your Minnie_

 _You're the Tigger to my Winnie, Ginny"_

As I turn the corner and finish my decline down the stairs I see that my assumption of a pretty boy douchebag appears to be correct. He's got long-ish crazy looking black hair and green eyes, which _are_ very pretty I'll admit. And he's got a sign that says "Hello, my name is Harry Potter. Please help."

" _I'm gonna take you to the city,_

 _Gonna take you out to dinny, Ginny"_

As I make my way up to him, there is a surprising amount of people standing around and watching, and more importantly, putting money into his open guitar case.

" _You're cuter than a Guinea pig,_

 _I'm gonna take you up to Winnipeg_

 _That's in Canada"_

There's a chorus of laughter at the "joke" like he has them all under a spell.

"Thank you all, but that's every song I know." He says, and I almost believe him. Because he's a douchebag. Not because he's really handsome and has eyes that you can stare into eternally. No, it's because I honestly believe he only knows one song.

"Aww" says seemingly everyone at once.

"Thank you, I'll be here all week, and try the Veal." Another wave of laughter passes through the crowd.

As the crowd disperses, I stay where I am, not moving any closer, but not backing away.

"So, you like A Very Potter Musical, then?" I ask, attempting a snark, as he continues to lean over his guitar case to collect the cash and loose change. Damn. Way more than any one song I've ever played.

"Well when your parents named you Harry Potter" he said without looking up at me, "you have two options, accept and move on or hatred. I've chosen to move on."

"I'm Harry Potter, by the way" he says, standing up suddenly and turning towards me.

"Yes, I saw the sign." I say dismissively.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, seemingly earnestly.

"What am _I_ doing here? This is my turf, my spot even. I've been playing here for over a year. What right do you have to come here, and take my spot? I think the correct question is what are _you_ doing here? " The anger in my voice is slightly shaky as his admittedly beautiful eyes were staring straight into mine.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to say this before, but I'm a big fan of yours."

"WHAT?" I accidentally yell.

"I really like your music," He says, cringing after my exclamation. "I wanted to get your attention, so I decided to play here."

"Oh," I say, slightly less angry now. "You could have just like-talked to me, or something."

"Well I also wanted to demonstrate my singing ability, and I couldn't be sure you'd even hear me out if I just walked up to you."

"Why did you want me to hear you play?" I say inquisitively.

"Because I have a proposal for you. I think we should play together and split the profits."

"Hmm…" I'm not sure. I mean he made a lot of money today, but I don't even know him or anything.

"We can start now." He said enthusiastically, offering me half the cash in his hands.

"Hmm" I say again, this time the mental equation having changed. That cash alone was enough to cover my part of the rent this month. "Okay. I'll try out a partnership. At least temporarily."

"Good. I think that this might be the start of a beautiful relationship." He says looking into my eyes, a glint of tease and playfulness within.

"Now that were business partners, I feel comfortable saying this. You're a jackass." I mean it a lot less than I would have five minutes earlier.

"I get that a lot." He says, and again I believe him.

"Well, at least I'm not the first."

"And probably not the last." He says it, and I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

* * *

 **Cho Chang/Ginny belongs to Darren Criss and Star Kid Potter**


	2. Lawyer AU

**Author** **'** **s Note:**

 **Written for The OTP AU! Competition 2**

 **Round Two: Lawyer!AU**

 **Words: 438**

As we entered Greengrass, Greengrass, Clearwater, and Nott my father asked me the same question he has asked a dozen times today alone.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" I have answered this question the exact same way every time he asked me, except when I use sarcasm, which will only occasionally work.

"Yes, Daddy, I'm fine." I only use Daddy when I'm addressing him alone. Otherwise I use father, or rarely, dad.

"You sure you're ready to start today honey?" Another question he has asked me a large amount of times.

"Look Daddy, I went through the same amount of law school as you, or as any other lawyer you've ever hired." I want evenness and equality for once. That is what I mean, but I can't tell him that directly

"I know Daph, but-" I cut him off.

"Daddy, I love you, but truly I want you to treat me like any other new recruit."

"Alright honey. Your partner will be waiting for you in the office."

"Wait, a partner?" That's new information. I hadn't expected that.

"Ah, yes. I might have forgotten to tell you that. Would you like to take back what you said about being treated like a normal, green lawyer?" He had a face on that I'd never seen before. One that was somewhere between the face he used when I was younger and he was teasing me, and the one he used when he was giving a closing argument. It was highly confusing.

"No. I'll be fine." I hope.

* * *

The first thing I hear of my new partner's voice is something I wouldn't have chosen.

"Fine, then we're over, okay! Now if you'll excuse me I'm at work!"

I'm taken aback temporarily, and I spend some time trying to figure out what to do. Not because of the fact that I didn't know who was inside and didn't want to intrude right after he had broken up, but because I did know the person inside my office, and I did want to intrude.

I enter my office, deciding that I wouldn't pretend I hadn't heard anything, and say before I fully saw him "Draco Lucius Malfoy, I love you, and if you'll just have to accept that."

In my entire life that came before that moment, I would never have expected the next few words.

"Well that's good for whoever this Draco guy is."

* * *

When Daphne Alaina Greengrass and Harry James Potter were married, they both included a vow that took all of their friends and family by surprise. It was as follows:

"I will never confuse you for Draco Malfoy."


	3. EMT AU

**Written for The OTP AU! Competition 2**

 **Round Two: Will you stop flirting with me? I'm your EMT and you're seriously injured!AU**

 **Words: 620**

* * *

The moment we turned the corner, a message came on the radio.

"There's been a hit and run on Somerset Drive and 14th, one injury. #0938 you are the closest, please intercept."

Our location is about two and a half blocks from the location of the hit and run. I turn on our siren and say into the radio.

"This is unit #0938, we are on our way."

"Alright Unit #0938, we've received your message."

While turning left to get onto Somerset Drive, I turn to one of my partners and say, in a manner that well expresses the amount of times I've said it "Blaise, get off your phone."

"But Ginny-"He tries to spit out some excuse, but I cut him off.

"No, you're on duty, and I don't even know how you have a phone on you."

"Fine. But I'm driving, and you're in the back."

"That's fine with me," Says Tracey, my other partner, currently in the back.

"Fine, whatever, I'll be in the back." As I say this, I begin to back up slowly to where a small crowd had formed around whomever had gotten injured. "Everyone get ready, I'm almost there."

"I can see that," Says Blaise. Maybe I shouldn't have figuratively shaken him out of his girlfriend induced distraction.

As I park, we all three spring into action, Tracey popping up a stretcher, Blaise and I practically jumping out of the car and I run around to the back. Tracey and I roll the stretcher up to the man who was injured in the crash.

"Here," he says holding out his phone, "I've got that thingy." He means a barcode with all his information. I scan it and see his name is Harry James Potter, and he has no preexisting conditions, and has insurance that will cover him at the nearest hospital, St. Mary's. Blaise also sees this, and gets into the driver's seat, ready to go as soon as Tracey and I are.

We get him onto the stretcher and I notice something I hadn't up to this point, he has an amazingly large smile for someone with this serious of an injury. It doesn't matter, but the combination of the smile and his green eyes make for a very attractive face.

After I close the door and Tracey begins to go through our check up routine, he speaks again.

"You know," he says, "your eyes are the same color as my Smart Car." He coughs, which I think was an attempt at laughter. I also hear a small snort coming from Tracey, after which I give her a glare, to try to communicate to her. She of course ignores me.

"I don't actually have a Smart Car." He says. "No, I have a tandem bike that would be perfect for us." Another cough-laugh from him, and another snort from Tracey.

"Mr. Potter, will you please be quiet, we're trying to help you." I try to be as cordial as possible, but a think a little anger might have gotten through as his smile faltered.

"Fine, if you give me your number, and agree to go out with me." No laugh this time.

"I don't think so," I say.

"C'mon Daph," says Tracey. "You need to get out there." Harry is staring straight into my eyes, and it is strangely weakening my resolve.

"Will you stop talking then?" I ask.

"Yes, but only because I'll be thinking of our future together." That smile is back again. A third snort from Tracey, and for the first time a laugh from Blaise.


	4. College AU, or Avalanche

**Author's Note:  
Written for The OTP AU! Competition 2  
Round Two: College!AU  
Words: 1,346**

* * *

"I have absolutely no idea why I'm here." I said as Tracey and I walked into the open door.

"To get out, and to have fun. Daph, you're my roommate, and I am not going to let you louse around on a Friday night. You are going to love it." She looked at me, smiling possibly the largest smile I'd ever seen. I found it slightly unnerving.

"Right. Like last time." Last time. I shuddered. I didn't even want to think about last time.

"Okay, Okay. I will admit, last time was a bust." Really Tracey, was that all?

"For me it was. I was the one who had to drag you back to the dorm." I stared in the angriest way I could at Tracey, which might have wilted most flowers. Or people.

"Oh right. You just had to leave from a party you didn't like. I was the one who had a hangover, and who was," She put her first finger and thumb almost together, "this close to scoring with a complete and total hottie, before you dragged me away."

"Really, 'total hottie,' Tracey?" I said, deciding that I would kick start the starting sarcasm battle with a practiced measure of extreme dryness.

"Again, loosen up. Who are you Sandra Olssen?" Sandra Olssen was Olivia Newton-John's character in Grease. She's known for being uptight. It was sarcasm if I had ever seen it. Or heard, as the case may be.

"Oh Tracey, how right you are. I've seen the light. Yes let us be sluts and be viewed by others as things to have sex with. Let's do it for Danny." I sighed. Oh, and Danny was John Travolta's character in Grease, for whom Sandy sexed herself up for. Gag.

"Ooh, touchy. What are you, some kind of feminist?" And the sarcasm continued.

"Says she with the Gender Studies major." An admittedly lame comeback, but I had tried, and trying is half the battle. Oh no, that's knowing. Damn. That reminds me, I need to watch more G.I. Joe.

"You've hit on my point right there." That took me aback.

"Wait, what?" I asked. "My anger against you helps you? What are you, an anger ghost thing?" That was a failure on my part to find the correct words. Blame the large amount of Buffy I've watched.

"Yes, Spengler, now listen. You. Are. In. College. Just calm down. Have fun." Spengler was a character in Ghostbusters, known for being brainy and uptight. Or how Tracey was trying to paint me as.

"But-" My glare was back as Tracey cut me off mid-sentence.

"No buts. Or maybe just butts. Your choice. But promise me, you will have fun." That inexorable, perky smile was back. And it was still unnerving.

"Fine. I'll go out and find my true love." I start walking away from Tracey, and through the crowd. Tracey ignores the fact that I am trying to escape her and call after me.

"Seriously, you understood what I just said to mean that-" At this point I had turned a corner and could no longer hear her.

* * *

As I walked throughout the house, I was surprised at the amount of illicit – or at least lewd – activities that were happening. I was also looking around to see if Tracey was following me. I walked like this for a few minutes until I saw him and our eyes connected and –

Holy shit. I thought that my heart had stopped. It felt like an avalanche had dropped on me or something. He was about 6'1", and had crazy black hair. And eyes. Well I mean everyone has eyes, but he had the most beautiful green eyes I had ever seen.

I walked up to him. It was like I don't have a choice, and based on how he was moving towards me; he didn't have a choice either.

As we moved together, the first thing we did, without any other knowledge, I grabbed onto him, and I kissed him. He kissed me back. It was like we were thousand year old souls, destined for each other, meeting for the first time. The kiss lasted forever, and less than a second. After our limitless and all too short kiss, I said.

"Hi, I'm Daphne Greengrass." Shit, that was a crappy intro. But it was, at that point, the best I could manage.

"Hi, I'm Harry," he said, looking as taken aback as I felt.

"How exquisite a name," I said, and I meant it. I don't know why, but I meant it.

"As is Daphne," he said

"I haven't seen you around. Do you live on campus?" I said, desperately searching for something to do.

"Yeah, I live in Salazar House. How about you?"

"I'm living in the Godric Dorms." For whatever reason, Salazar House and the Godric Dorms have a serious rivalry.

"I hope that doesn't adversely affect our relationship." Ooh big words. Sexy. (Ha-ha, right. I hope you're not reading this Harry. I don't want it to inflate your ego).

"Adversely? Wow, you have a smart mouth." Ah, sarcasm, my old friend. Showing up just to crash on my couch. Come back here you darn pesky cynicism, I don't need you.

"That is something I never expected to hear from someone who has used the words ''exquisite" within five minutes of knowing me." Good, he wasn't thrown off by the sudden sarcasm. Now, in addition to loving him, (or whatever this feeling (Are we soulmates? Made for each other?) is) I liked him too. I just realized I used double parentheses. I am sorry.

We kissed again. It's like we have no choice.

"What do you do for fun?" I asked, after we finish our most amazing kiss yet.

"I'm in a band." He said.

"Is it a good band?" I was trying not to be sarcastic, I really was. This time.

"Well I hope it is." He said.

"I might actually listen, at some point," I said. Now that I was sure he wasn't anti-sarcasm, I was going to use at a normal level. For me, that is.

As we continue on, the party becomes almost background noise to our conversation. It was near magical.

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Tracey asked, as I walked into our dorm room, and found Tracey and Blaise both in it.

"I was with Harry," I said.

"Who?" Blaise asked.

"I met him at the party last night." I said.

"You spent the night with a guy you met last night?" Asked Blaise.

"Good for you" said Tracey, again having that smile.

"No, it's not like that." I said "I honestly think I love him."

Yeah whatever," said Blaise.

"No, seriously, it was like one look, and it was over." I look at my two best friends, trying to get them to take me seriously.

"Seriously Daph? I know you are not Annie, even if you have that same, not quite placeable, annoying quality."

"Blaise, I'm serious about this."

"Also Annie is a great movie." Tracey chimes in.

"But not the remake," We all three say in unison.

"We've trained you well," I said, looking at Tracey, smiling sarcastically. If that's possible.

* * *

I always thank Tracey for dragging me to that party. So does Harry, after I told him of what happened. His response was, and I quote:

"And she brought us together,

And just maybe forever

We shall not go passing

Like two ships in the night."

He was in one of his songwriting moods, so you can take that however you like.

* * *

"Daphne Alaina Greengrass," He said as he kneeled down. "I know we've only known each other for six months, but I cannot imagine a life without you. Will you marry me?"

"Harry, I love you. Of course I will. Under one condition." I said.

"Yes?" he asked, looking just as shocked as we both did, that first night.

"Kiss me."

He did. And it was just as amazing, and just as magical, and left me just as wanting as the first, and as every other time.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Also written for the** **Prompt Relay Challenge:** **Section 4: Talking Is Hard: Avalanche  
**


	5. A Publicity Stunt

**Written for The OTP AU! Competition 2**

 **Round Five: Superhero!AU**

 **Words:714**

* * *

A publicity stunt. That was all it was. Harry tried to convince himself of that over and over again, and somehow it felt wrong.

He tried hard to convince himself. After all it wasn't Harry Potter, antique store owner, going on the date. It was The Lion, Paragon of Virtue and Crime-Fighting in Seattle. And he wasn't going on a date with Daphne Greengrass, musical prodigy and favorite daughter of Seattle, he - no, The Lion - was going on a date with The Magician.

Harry was determined to keep these boundaries in place this time. They were never going to have to relive The Disaster. That had been between Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, and their entire relationship had been in secret. But this time it was in public. But this time it was also, thankfully, entirely faked.

* * *

It was just a publicity stunt. That was all it was. Daphne tried to convince herself of that, but somehow it wasn't right.

It wasn't Daphne Greengrass, socialite and heiress, going on the date. It was The Magician, Master of Wizardry, Defender of the Weak. And she wasn't going on a date with Harry Potter, seller of amazing artifacts, she - no, The Magician - was going on a date with The Lion.

Daphne knew they were going to keep a boundary in place this time. They were never going to have to relive The Disaster. That had been between Daphne Greengrass, Harry Potter, and the entire relationship had been a secret. But this time it was going to be public. But this time, it was faked. Hopefully.

Harry, using his powers, of course, bounds up the side Space Needle. Not only did the United Metahuman Publicity Society decide on the Space Needle as the location for their date, only the most Seattle of all places, Harry also had to show off. Daphne took the more sensible route, or at least that's what she had thought.

"Hey, Magician, over here."

"Give us a smile."

After the paparazzi came the newspaper people. Well, and the bloggers, but they were becoming more and more similar as time went on.

"Have you and The Lion dated before?"

"Is it true this is all a publicity stunt?"

"Are you an Alien Life Form?"

The last one was surprisingly from the Tribune, and not a blog. Daphne still ignored them, walked inside, and up the Elevator.

* * *

As soon as Harry finished climbing the side of the Space Needle and saw Daphne inside, he regretted climbing the outside of the building. It had seemed like a good idea, but thinking about it, especially with Daphne giving off a look of disappointment from behind her mask, it seemed like he was just showing off.

"Hi." He says.

"Hello" She says

The conversation is awkward, the words short, as they walk to the table reserved for them by the UMPS. Maybe, Harry hopes, the awkwardness will fade, will allow them to continue, to get it over with.

"A kiss," Harry says, as there dinner, filled with connection and awkwardness continues.

"What?" Says Daphne.

"If we kiss, it will definitely boost the publicity."

"Okay," says Daphne. She leans closer to Harry. He puts his hand gently, very gently for a man with super strength such as his, on her cheek, and moves closer. Their lips touch. The world disappears. For those seconds, minutes, hours, when their lips meet, all else slips away. All is forgotten but this.

* * *

They leave together. By now Harry has given up the hope that this is, or ever was just a publicity stunt. What they have, Harry feels is more than love, it is a bond. They are so entwined; they will always end up together.

* * *

As they awaken in each others arms, their love, their bond, is palpable, nearly touchable in the air. They know that something has changed. This is how last time started too. All the regrets of last time exist now.

"Why did we ever break up?" He asks.

"We loved each other too much," She replies.

"Do we love each other less now?"

"No." She says. "Now everyone knows how much we love each other."

Maybe, just this once, the universe will let them love and live, together.


End file.
